More than 10,000 ambulance workers are set to strike following a ballot. The move shows just how "desperate" they are, says GMB Union.
Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff are now set to walk out in the county. Workers across the ambulance services and some NHS Trusts have voted to strike over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award - another massive real terms pay cut.
GMB will now meet with reps in the coming days to discuss potential strike dates before Christmas. Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said: “Ambulance workers – like other NHS workers – are on their knees.
“Demoralised and downtrodden, they’ve faced 12 years of Conservative cuts to the service and their pay packets, fought on the frontline of a global pandemic and now face the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
“No one in the NHS takes strike action lightly – today shows just how desperate they are. This is as much about unsafe staffing levels and patient safety as it is about pay.
"A third of GMB ambulance workers think delays they’ve been involved with have led to the death of a patient. Something has to change or the service as we know it will collapse.
“GMB calls on the Government to avoid a Winter of NHS strikes by negotiating a pay award that these workers deserve.”
The GMB said its members working as paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff are set to walk out in the following trusts: South West Ambulance Service, South East Coast Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service, South Central Ambulance Service, North East Ambulance Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Welsh Ambulance Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Nurses have already voted for industrial action with walk-outs planned for December 15 and 20. Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will stage their biggest-ever walkout after voting in favour of industrial action in a ballot. The Scottish government has made a separate pay offer.
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